Switching E36 UK headlamps for EU mainland dip

"Dodgy" > wrote in message
...
> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
> few month, ......I've seen with many other cars, or
> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
> light left in the middle?

Tape is a good method to prevent dazzling other drivers but if you are
emigrating then the whole light unit has to be changed. Units carry
different code letters for left or right dipping. Same problem with
importing LHD vehicles - they fail the MOT.

Ulf wrote:

> Dodgy wrote:
>> On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:47:06 +0100, John Burns
>> > waffled on about something:
>>
>>>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>>>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>>>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>>>> switch them to aim to the right.
>>>>
>>>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>>>
>>>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>>>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>>>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>>>
>>>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
>>>> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
>>>> light left in the middle?
>>> I think you adjust them from behind.
>>
>> I had a look behind, and nothing was obvious... I remember having a
>> casual look when I had the whole lamp unit out a few months ago to
>> change the broken glass, and nothing jumped out at me.
>
> Are they projector lights? If so, there are three screws you loosen and
> turn the reflector ~30 degrees. It's pretty straight forward.
>
> Ulf

exactly, that's the way it was on my old E30 - you do it while waiting for
the ferry and try not to drop the black plastic press-studs which hold the
black plastic guards behind the headlamps in place.

Does anyone know how to adjust bi-xenons? Is that a simple lever?

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:29:46 +0100, waffled on about
something:

>On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:48:20 +0100, Dodgy > wrote:
>
>>I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>>few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>>to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>>switch them to aim to the right.
>>
>>The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>
>>Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>>managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>>beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>
>>Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
>>am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
>>light left in the middle?
>>
>>Dodgy.
>
>There is nothing in the EKT or TIS about this but the lamps are similar to the
>E38 which has a small red lever by the side of the dip beam lamp after removing
>the cover this turns a shield that simply cuts off the left wedge of the dip
>beam making it a flat beam and NOT true LHD. Same goes for the HID units and if
>anyone has an E65 reading this the lever is on the right side an both units and
>not on the outside as BMW insist in the book!

No lever or anything nice like that! That was the kind of thing I was
looking for though, as my friends Alfa had projector lamps and he just
popped the bonnet, moved a lever, and that was it!

Ulf's comments about 3 screws rings a bell.

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:31:18 +0200, stuart >
waffled on about something:

>Ulf wrote:
>
>> Dodgy wrote:
>>> On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:47:06 +0100, John Burns
>>> > waffled on about something:
>>>
>>>>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>>>>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>>>>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>>>>> switch them to aim to the right.
>>>>>
>>>>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>>>>
>>>>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>>>>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>>>>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
>>>>> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
>>>>> light left in the middle?
>>>> I think you adjust them from behind.
>>>
>>> I had a look behind, and nothing was obvious... I remember having a
>>> casual look when I had the whole lamp unit out a few months ago to
>>> change the broken glass, and nothing jumped out at me.
>>
>> Are they projector lights? If so, there are three screws you loosen and
>> turn the reflector ~30 degrees. It's pretty straight forward.
>>
>> Ulf
>
>exactly, that's the way it was on my old E30 - you do it while waiting for
>the ferry and try not to drop the black plastic press-studs which hold the
>black plastic guards behind the headlamps in place.
>
>Does anyone know how to adjust bi-xenons? Is that a simple lever?

Hi Ulf, Stuart,

Yup, projector type, huge lump of glass lens right in front of the
bulb.

The 3 screws do ring a bell, I remember seeing them when I had the
lamp unit out... Although I don't fancy trying to do that when I'm
waiting for the ferry, I have enough trouble getting to the back of
the lamp to change the bulb, let alone poking about with a
screwdriver! I'll have a test run later... And try to book a ferry so
I can drive down from home in daylight! :-)

Then again, given the number of cars I see who have headlights
pointing all over the place these days, maybe I won't! It's not like
the police in the yellow boxes catch them, or the 6 months of the year
rear fog light brigade.

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

"Dodgy" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:31:18 +0200, stuart >
> waffled on about something:
>
> >Ulf wrote:
> >
> >> Dodgy wrote:
> >>> On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:47:06 +0100, John Burns
> >>> > waffled on about something:
> >>>
> >>>>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in
a
> >>>>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
> >>>>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how
to
> >>>>> switch them to aim to the right.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
> >>>>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
> >>>>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars,
or
> >>>>> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit
of
> >>>>> light left in the middle?
> >>>> I think you adjust them from behind.
> >>>
> >>> I had a look behind, and nothing was obvious... I remember having a
> >>> casual look when I had the whole lamp unit out a few months ago to
> >>> change the broken glass, and nothing jumped out at me.
> >>
> >> Are they projector lights? If so, there are three screws you loosen and
> >> turn the reflector ~30 degrees. It's pretty straight forward.
> >>
> >> Ulf
> >
> >exactly, that's the way it was on my old E30 - you do it while waiting
for
> >the ferry and try not to drop the black plastic press-studs which hold
the
> >black plastic guards behind the headlamps in place.
> >
> >Does anyone know how to adjust bi-xenons? Is that a simple lever?
>
> Hi Ulf, Stuart,
>
> Yup, projector type, huge lump of glass lens right in front of the
> bulb.
>
> The 3 screws do ring a bell, I remember seeing them when I had the
> lamp unit out... Although I don't fancy trying to do that when I'm
> waiting for the ferry, I have enough trouble getting to the back of
> the lamp to change the bulb, let alone poking about with a
> screwdriver! I'll have a test run later... And try to book a ferry so
> I can drive down from home in daylight! :-)
>
> Then again, given the number of cars I see who have headlights
> pointing all over the place these days, maybe I won't! It's not like
> the police in the yellow boxes catch them, or the 6 months of the year
> rear fog light brigade.
>
> Dodgy.
> --
> MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

never changed mine on trips to Germany, plenty of others dont too.

On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:31:18 +0200, stuart > wrote:

>Ulf wrote:
>
>> Dodgy wrote:
>>> On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:47:06 +0100, John Burns
>>> > waffled on about something:
>>>
>>>>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>>>>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>>>>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>>>>> switch them to aim to the right.
>>>>>
>>>>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>>>>
>>>>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>>>>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>>>>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
>>>>> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
>>>>> light left in the middle?
>>>> I think you adjust them from behind.
>>>
>>> I had a look behind, and nothing was obvious... I remember having a
>>> casual look when I had the whole lamp unit out a few months ago to
>>> change the broken glass, and nothing jumped out at me.
>>
>> Are they projector lights? If so, there are three screws you loosen and
>> turn the reflector ~30 degrees. It's pretty straight forward.
>>
>> Ulf
>
>exactly, that's the way it was on my old E30 - you do it while waiting for
>the ferry and try not to drop the black plastic press-studs which hold the
>black plastic guards behind the headlamps in place.
>
>Does anyone know how to adjust bi-xenons? Is that a simple lever?

If its the same layout as my 730d E65 the start with the off side (right) and
you should find a very flimsy metal lever (no colour just feel) on the right
side of the bulb holder deep down near the reflector or projector lens. Down for
UK up for EU now BMW say it's the opposite side on the left light but on my E65
its on the same side of the bulb and if you think about it it should be because
you are deleting the left hand wedge on dip to make it a flat beam so it makes
sense to have it on the same side and not the opposite side as BMW say.


Sir Hugh of Bognor

--
I used to be an Egotistical Meglomaniac - but now I'm just perfect!

Hugh Gundersen


Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

In article >,
RustY© > wrote:
> Tape is a good method to prevent dazzling other drivers but if you are
> emigrating then the whole light unit has to be changed. Units carry
> different code letters for left or right dipping. Same problem with
> importing LHD vehicles - they fail the MOT.

As I said before, the only difference with projector types is the metal
'flag' between bulb and lens which gives the sharp cutoff and spike of
light to the nearside. This can usually be turned round for opposite side
driving although it will mean dismantling the lamp unit - well worth it
given the cost of new ones. Of course there are so many different designs
this might not apply to all models.

--
*Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:31:18 +0200, stuart > wrote:
>
>>Ulf wrote:
>>
>>> Dodgy wrote:
>>>> On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:47:06 +0100, John Burns
>>>> > waffled on about something:
>>>>
>>>>>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>>>>>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>>>>>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>>>>>> switch them to aim to the right.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>>>>>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>>>>>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars,
>>>>>> or am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit
>>>>>> of light left in the middle?
>>>>> I think you adjust them from behind.
>>>>
>>>> I had a look behind, and nothing was obvious... I remember having a
>>>> casual look when I had the whole lamp unit out a few months ago to
>>>> change the broken glass, and nothing jumped out at me.
>>>
>>> Are they projector lights? If so, there are three screws you loosen and
>>> turn the reflector ~30 degrees. It's pretty straight forward.
>>>
>>> Ulf
>>
>>exactly, that's the way it was on my old E30 - you do it while waiting for
>>the ferry and try not to drop the black plastic press-studs which hold the
>>black plastic guards behind the headlamps in place.
>>
>>Does anyone know how to adjust bi-xenons? Is that a simple lever?
>
> If its the same layout as my 730d E65 the start with the off side (right)
> and you should find a very flimsy metal lever (no colour just feel) on the
> right side of the bulb holder deep down near the reflector or projector
> lens. Down for UK up for EU now BMW say it's the opposite side on the left
> light but on my E65 its on the same side of the bulb and if you think
> about it it should be because you are deleting the left hand wedge on dip
> to make it a flat beam so it makes sense to have it on the same side and
> not the opposite side as BMW say.
>
>
> Sir Hugh of Bognor
>
ah, so it doesn't convert them it only eliminates the passenger-side wedge
thanks

On Sep 11, 3:48 pm, Dodgy > wrote:
> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
> switch them to aim to the right.
>
> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>
> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>
> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
> light left in the middle?
>
>

Where are you going? Some areas the roads are well lit and in others
not. Also, of course, you don't need to worry if you're only driving
in the day and the weather isn't bad.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2007 05:17:30 -0700, adder1969 > wrote:

>On Sep 11, 3:48 pm, Dodgy > wrote:
>> I'm off to drive in that funny world on t'other side of the road in a
>> few month, so being the prepared chappy that I am, I thought I'd try
>> to find how the headlamps on my E36 are aimed to the left, and how to
>> switch them to aim to the right.
>>
>> The manual is no help "refer to BMW garage" etc etc.
>>
>> Looking at the headlamp from the front, I really can't see how it
>> managed to create the wedge of light to the left, the whole dipped
>> beamed unit looks identical either side of the centre line.
>>
>> Is there a way of re-aiming them as I've seen with many other cars, or
>> am I reduced to a bit of dark sticky tape and driving with the bit of
>> light left in the middle?
>>
>>
>
>Where are you going? Some areas the roads are well lit and in others
>not. Also, of course, you don't need to worry if you're only driving
>in the day and the weather isn't bad.

I hardly used my headlights during a 3 week tour of France, Andorra and Spain
but when the rain is so bad that you can just see the front of the car you will
need the headlight (legal requirement) and if negotiation those tunnels you will
also need them but on the whole if you'll be daytime running only then it's
unlikely that you'll need to change but remember you will at this time of year
and the further North you go it gets dark earlier also the further east you go
it gets dark earlier and if you go out for a meal (don't drink it ain't worth
it) at night you'll need them then..........

--

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen

Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK